[Tech1] U3A

[Hugh Sheppard]

Bernie,

Mike  has said it all.  A great outfit, 4 years old in Odiham and with 
450 members and 25 groups. I missed this morning's science group - going 
on right now!

    *Odiham U3A Science and Technology*

    Our website can be found by clicking _here
    <https://sites.google.com/site/odihamu3ast/home>_

    Dear All,


    A reminder that our next meeting will be on Wednesday 17th October,
    and is entitled:

    *The 100,000 Genome Project*

    by

    Dr Catherine Mercer

    *Synopsis*

    Dr Mercer will discuss the utility of genetic testing, the benefits
    and pitfalls and encourage you to consider if you yourself would
    consider having your entire genome sequenced.

    *About Dr Mercer*

    Dr Catherine Mercer is a Consultant Clinical Geneticist working at
    University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. She works with
    families with inherited conditions, her role being the
    identification of an underlying genetic cause for the medical
    problems experienced by an individual.  Dr Mercer has a special
    interest in Inherited Cardiac Conditions and gained a PhD in the
    field of the molecular genetic causes of Congenital Heart Disease. 
    She is also the lead clinician for the Wessex Rare Disease arm of
    the 100,000 Genomes Project, an exciting nationwide initiative
    designed to increase the update of genomic testing and consequently
    the diagnostic yield.

    *The meeting will be held at the Cross Barn, starting at 10.30 am,
    with tea/coffee available from 10.00 am.   I do hope that you will
    be able to attend.*

Go for it, Bernie!
**
Hugh

On 17-Oct-18 11:15 AM, Mike Giles via Tech1 wrote:
> U3A is an organisation aimed at over 50’s with time to spare and who 
> want to engage in something worthwhile. I think it’s original aims 
> were somewhat academic, but it now encompasses all manner of 
> activities, which differ from one group to another.
>
> In Dorking, we have the usual run of book groups, history, investing, 
> photography archaeology, psychology, languages - too many to list - 
> but we also have bowls, walking and table tennis, whilst Epsom has 
> croquet, which we may join in if we wish, and another group in the 
> area does Pétanque.
> Membership is only about £15 a year, from memory, and members are free 
> to organise groups on topics which aren’t covered in their area - 
> we’re having our first non-Bridge card group meeting this very 
> afternoon and mugging has ended up organising it!
>
> The guiding principle though is that Group
> Leaders come from the membership and are unpaid. Payment for use of 
> premises and facilities is usually done on a per occasion basis, and 
> some specialist instructors can be paid, I believe, but there are 
> rules covering this. For example, a singing group down here wanted to 
> pay their leader, who is also a U3A member, and they’ve had to run it 
> outside of the U3A umbrella. It is also a requirement that anybody who 
> wants to join a group must be allowed to do so, regardless of their 
> ability - another example here is that the Bridge Group wanted to oust 
> a player who was not very good and also had to leave the U3A structure.
>
> But it’s a good organisation on the whole and the list of topics 
> covered nationally is immense. Well worth dipping a toe in the water - 
> our problem is that activities we’re interested in tend to clash with 
> each other timewise and we had great difficulty in getting a meeting 
> together even to discuss the card group, because interested parties 
> are all fairly busy with other groups.
>
> Enjoy!
>
> Mike G
>
> On 17 Oct 2018, at 10:14, Bernard Newnham via Tech1 
> <tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk <mailto:tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk>> wrote:
>
>> Well, the course I was teaching at a university has come to an end 
>> after ten years - 3000 less students this year, so they are 
>> consolidating. I'm all for less university students in general, lots 
>> of the ones I taught should have been out doing useful stuff - rather 
>> than spending money, they should have been making it. I keep reading 
>> stories about "can't get the staff" - these kids should have been out 
>> there getting trained on some sandwich course or apprenticeship or 
>> something.
>>
>> Still - it leaves me at a slight loose end. I may have retired for 
>> the third time.
>>
>> There was something in the paper about the University of the Third 
>> Age. I looked up the local one, but it wasn't too clear about the way 
>> it works. So - anyone here have experience that they can pass on?  
>> Does one teach or does one learn? Or both?
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> B
>> -- 
>> Tech1 mailing list
>> Tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk <mailto:Tech1 at tech-ops.co.uk>
>> http://tech-ops.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/tech1_tech-ops.co.uk
>
>



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